Blending of wool, cotton, and other fibrous materials



D'ec. 29, 1931. J. HANSON BLENDING OF WOOL, COTTON, AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS Filed Nov. 4, i929 Wit,

eration of the closure which the yarn is to be ama s ear-s JAMES Hanson, or xrnnnamins'rna, ENGLAND :BLENDING or woon,

common, Ann mite rrianous MATERIALS Application filed November4,'1929. Serial No. 404,859.

This invention relates to the blending of wool, cotton and other materials.

In the manufacture of various productsfor example woolen yarns-the wool from produced frequently has to consists of a blend of several different grades. The present practice is for a blender to take handfuls of ti e different wools'and to spread them in more or less thin layers one 1 above the other thereby producing ablended heap from which the product may subsequently be spun. This practice however has the disadvantage that permeated with a dust from the wool which is very deleterious to health and has frequently caused anthrax and other diseases in the blender. At the same time the method does not give a perfect blend of the constituent fibres. i

The primary tion is the provision of an improved apparatus for spreading these materials in layers of considerable area.

Other objects and advantages will appear r hereinafter.

In order that the invention may be the more clearly understood an embodiment thereof will now be described reference being made to the accompanying drawings wherein I I Figure 1 is a vertical section on the line 1-1 of Figure 2 of the ejecting device whereby the materials are spread.

Figure 2 is a plan of the same shown partly in section. c

Figure 3 is an end elevation of a modified form of conduit closure;

Figure l is a side view thereof with the opmeans indicated in dotted lines;

Figure 5 is a side view adjacent the end of one of the conduits with a still further modiiied form of closure; and V Figure 6 is an end view thereof. Referring first to Figures 1 and 2 the ejecting device comprises a single casting consisting of a hollow hub l carrying two conduits 2 which extend outwardly therefrom to the atmosphere. This casting is arranged with its axis vertical and the upper end of the hub the atmosphere becomesahinged door object of the present inventhe" material is conveyed receptacle by means of a current of air along said pipe line into the interior of said hub 1 is open and is secured to a tubular casting 3 forming an upward continuation thereof.

Said tubular casting 3 has its upper end secured through the'inedium of a rotatable joint as shown to the upper end of a vertical pipe section 4 forming'the extremityof a pipe line extending from a receptacle for containing the materials to be blended. It will be seen that the unit constituted by the two first named castings is pneumatically continuous with said pipe line and at the same time is rotatable about a vertical axis. The conduits 2 are shaped as shown so that air passing outwardly through them will set this unit in rotation. 1

One of the conduits 2 may be closed or opened at will, the means for closing it being either a screw cap 5 as shown in Figure'Q, or 6 adapted to be fastened by p 7 as shown in Figure 3, or a'sliding shutter 8 as shown in Figure 4, said shutter being slidable in atransverse slot in a-square section boss 9 cast integral with the conduit 2. i

In operation, both conduits 2 being open, from the aforesaid means of a pin 1 and out through said conduits 2 to the outer atmosphere it being ejected from the ro-. tating rotor more or less radially in a somewhat finely divided state. The wool thus falls in layers over an annular and relatively extensive area surrounding the ejector andiin this way the wools'of the several grades areblended. .When layers have been deposited to .a convenient depth, one of-the conduits is closed and the process is continued with the stream passing through the other conduit only. The velocity of the airissuing from this other conduit will now be greater and the materials willtherefore be ejected further from the axis of rotation. The materials will therefore be deposited on a fresh. part of the floor and the total area of deposition will be increased.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters' Patent is r j 1. Apparatus foruse in connection with the materials such as'wool and cotton, com- ;o FIcs prising a hollow hub rotatable about a vertical axis a plurality of conduits extending outwardly from said hub to the atmosphere, means for conveying a stream of air bearing 5 said materials into said rotary hub and means for closing certain of said conduits at will whereby the velocity of the air issuing from the other of said conduits and therefore the distance of projection of said materials, may be varied.

2. Apparatus for use in connectionwiththe blending of materials such as wool and cotton, comprising a hollow hub rotatable" about a vertical axis, a plurality of conduits extending outwardly from said hub to the atmosphereand so shaped that astream of air passing outwardly from said hub through said conduits will serve to set said conduits-and hub inrotation, means for conveying stream of air bearingsaid materials into saidhub and means for closing certain of said conduits at will whereby the velocity of the air issuing from-the other of said conduits; and therefore the distance 0 projection of said materials,.may be varied.

3. Apparatus for use in connection with the blending of materials such as wool and cotton comprising a hollow hub rotatable about a vertical axis, two conduits extend- "ing outwardly from said hub-to the atmosphere and so shaped that a stream of air passing. outwardly from said hub through saidiconduits will serveto set said conduits and hub in rotation, means for conveying a stream of air'bearingsaid materials into said hub and means'for closing one of said conduits at will whereby the velocity of the air issuing; fromthe other conduit, and. there fore the distance said materials are projected there-trom,- maybe varied.

4:. Apparatus for use in connection" with theblending of materials such. as wool and: cottonfibres embodying therein a; hollow hub rotatable abouta vertical. axis, two arcuate conduits connected with said hub at substantially diametrically opposite points and having tne axes'of the discharge openings thereof. substantially tangentialzto said hubv and oppositely directed as to each other, means adapted for connection with a receptacle for fibers to be'blended: and. a source of air under" pressure for. carrying the fibres in suspension to saidhub, aclo'sure member, and co-oper'ating means upon one of said conduits and upon said closure member, whereby said closure member may be made operative or inoperative to prevent the flow of the fibre-laden air through the conduit with which it co-operates.

In witness whereof I afiix my signature.

AMES HANSON. 

